The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) has backed Blackpool’s bid to host the UK’s first regional ‘super’ casino at the expense of other sites in the region.
A joint study by the agency, the North West Regional Assembly (NWRA) and the Government Office for the North West will support Blackpool as the preferred candidate location for the single regional casino pilot scheduled to be announced by the government in 2006.
The study looked at demand and capacity for a regional casino and concluded that the coastal resort will reap the greatest economic, tourism and regeneration benefits.
The study will assist the NWRA in the development of a casinos policy in the emerging Regional Spatial Strategy and will inform future regional planning policy.
Steven Broomhead, NWDA chief executive, said: “This study was vital in enabling us to determine the economic impact that gambling deregulation will have on the region.
“The agency looks forward to working with partners in supporting Blackpool as the North West’s preferred location for the pilot, helping to ensure that the town, and the North West as a whole, capitalises on the economic, tourism and regenerative benefits.”
Sir Peter Hall, chairman of the town’s urban regeneration company ReBlackpool, said: “We’re delighted that the study has recognised Blackpool’s compelling case as the preferred location for the sole UK regional casino development.”
“We regard this as a definitive endorsement from three of the region’s key bodies that Blackpool needs such a development, and we welcome the NWDA’s board announcement that they will support the town as the region’s definitive candidate for the development.
Developers and casino operators have already expressed an interest in developing regional casinos elsewhere in the North West.
They include Ask Developments/Kerzner in East Manchester, Red City Developments/Peel Holdings in Salford, Langtree/Gala Harrah’s in St Helens and Amaury Taittinger in Liverpool.
The NWDA’s board has agreed to keep the situation under review and consider supporting other North West locations should the government increase the number of regional casino pilots.
References: EGi News 26/07/05
